Tatia's Ghost
by Sarah August
Summary: Elijah seeks out Elena's help in 3x22. Not only for the return of Klaus, but to help bring back Tatia. Tatia's return changes everything. Elijah/Elena, Elijah/Tatia, Klaus/Tatia, Elena/Salvatores.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Tatia`s Ghost

**Summary: **Elijah returns in 3x22, not only to save Elena, but to find out who's inside the one coffin that Klaus told no one about. Not in 1000 years. AU.

**Notes: **Alaric survives 3x22. Elijah/Elena, Elena/Salvatore's, Klaus/Tatia, Elijah/Tatia. Etc. Tatia is alive and her return changes everything for 3x22.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own TVD.

**Author: **Sarah August

**Chapter 1**

Elena sat on the sofa, watching Stefan and Matt inside the kitchen, fixing supper. Both were discussing what would be the right thing for her to do, what would be the right choice for her to make. Should she run away knowing that the originals could come after her at anytime? If she died, it would kill the hunter that was seeking all of their deaths too. It would make sense if they went after her.

Elena guessed the only thing that was keeping her alive at this point was her friendship with Elijah, and that was strained at best right now. He had left town immediately after kidnapping her, leaving her with a note of apology. She understood why he did it, but it had made Elena think twice about giving so much trust to the original, and so freely. Elijah's decisions that night, not only resulted in her kidnapping, but it had ended with him ordering the murder of Bonnie's mom. It hurt knowing that she had put so much faith in him, only to have him betray that trust. Again, she understood his reasons why, but it couldn't change what had happened.

Bonnie hated her right now. She knew that her mother had been turned into a vampire by Damon in order to save her life. Even that, the actions of Stefan and Damon that night, left a sour taste in her mouth. They had listened to Elijah in order to save her, but it had come at a very high cost.

"I'm done with the couch," Elena told Matt and Stefan, rather tiredly. She picked up her blanket in a bunch and went to the closet by the front door to her family house. A soft knock caught her attention, and Elena shoved the blanket inside the closet before shutting it closed and moved to look out the front window to see who it was. She gasped in surprise, rather floored by seeing the identity of the person that was out there. She had honestly never expected to see Elijah again anytime soon.

She moved from the window and began to think wildly on what to do. Elena knew that she likely shouldn't let him inside. Insisting that he go away and never return, would be the best thing to do at this point. But if Elijah really wanted to talk to her, he wouldn't let a simple door stop him from the task.

Elena looked to the kitchen to see what Stefan and Matt were doing. Both seemed distracted. Decided, she would talk to Elijah and see what he had to say.

He was dressed with his usual elegance, something Elena had grown used too. "Elijah..." She started softly, finding it hard to keep the slight accusing tone out of her voice. He had betrayed her after all and she was still feeling the affects of that betrayal. "Please," She then continued with courage. Elena motioned for Elijah to step inside. "Stefan..." She then called out to the kitchen.

Her former boyfriend then came into the living room at the sound of her voice. He swallowed hard, thinking the same thing as she was. If Elijah was here for her, to kill her, there was nothing that anyone could do to stop him. Fighting or threats would only end badly.

"Elijah..." Stefan said, not being able to hide his surprise.

"Hello again," He said.

* * *

"And you'll just run..." said Stefan, making Elena wonder if this was going to be the right thing to do.

Elena listened to Elijah say the terms of this new agreement and she believed him. He wanted his brothers body, and he wanted to save Klaus eventually, hopefully long after she was dead and gone, and wouldn't have to worry about originals hunting her anymore.

"Do we have a deal, Elena?"

The question caught Elena off guard, so deeply lost in her own thoughts, she had been. She had to agree. What right was it of hers to keep Elijah separated from his own brother? "We have a deal, but why come back here, Elijah. You could have just went after Klaus without making this offer to us..."

"I was hoping for your assistance with something else, Elena," Elijah replied, again, surprising her. He stood up, ready to leave, clearly intending not to share his next piece of information with anyone else accept her. Elena felt instantly intrigued despite herself. Elijah looked towards the front door and she caught on. He wanted her to go with him.

Elena stood, intending to follow him, but Stefan caught her arm. "Elena, you don't have to do this. You don't owe him anything..."

"I know..." She replied simply. "But this is my choice to make, Stefan," Elena reminded him gently. "I want to help Elijah."

Stefan then released her with a frown of concern. He always respected her choices, even when he didn't agree with her. "It will be alright," She assured him before following Elijah out the front door.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Elijah walked her to his car which had been parked at the end of her driveway. She didn't bother to grab a jacket as the night felt cool but wonderful all the same. There was an odd manner about Elijah now that they were away from the house. It reminded Elena of their last time together and she honestly felt a bit afraid. Not really of Elijah himself, but she felt afraid about his reasons for requesting her company.

He soon turned down the familiar street of where he had resided with his family in Mystic Falls. Had Elijah returned to live here, with Klaus and the rest of their family? Elena felt foolish for not asking him any questions tonight before agreeing to go with him.

Elijah pulled up to the house and the car stopped, but he didn't get out of the car yet. He looked to be struggling with telling her something, something incredibly important. "Elena, before with go inside the house, I must tell you some things. There are things that you do not know, about my family, about the past, and about your family, Elena."

This surprised her greatly. What did Elijah possibly have to say about her family and his? Elena already knew who her biological parents had been. She had several unfortunate meetings with a very old member of her family, Katherine. The ex of both Stefan and Damon, and who happened to technically be her many great grandmother, and Elena was also her doppelganger, which made the family connection, all the more strange. "What is it, Elijah?" She pressed softly when seeing that Elijah was still very much bothered by what he had to say.

"My brother Kol discovered, most recently, that Niklaus has been withholding one more secret from everyone. Besides the coffin of our mother, there was also one other. He has been storing it away within the bowls of the house, sealed by magic."

"But I thought that your other siblings had both died before you became vampires," said Elena, recalling the story of his family that Elijah had shared with her before the events of his family ball.

"They did," agreed Elijah softly, finding it hard to meet Elena's gaze. "But what Niklaus failed to tell us is that someone we both cared for, someone who we both lost, actually survived my mothers blood spell."

"Who is it?" asked Elena curiously. She had no idea of who it could be.

"You've met Katerina, Elena," began Elijah softly, knowingly. "But have you ever wondered who Katerina was the doppelganger of?"

Elena was floored, realizing what Elijah was getting at. "So the original Petrova... she's still... alive?"

Elijah nodded wordlessly. "My brother had Tatia sealed away in a coffin after we became vampires, and he had killed our mother...no vampire can open the coffin, or human...A friend of mine who is a witch has been unable to break the spell that sealed it, however, she believes that the spell was intended to be broken by only Tatia herself..."

"Was Tatia a witch?" Elena found it difficult to believe that any relative of hers had been a witch.

"Tatia's mother had given her to my family shortly after she had been born. My father refused to take in a child that wasn't his, so my mother gave Tatia to a couple who were ancestors of your friend Bonnie Bennett. They raised her, teaching her magic. Tatia did not finish her studies to become a witch as she grew up, but she could still manipulate magic when called for. My friend, Elena, believes that you as the human counterpart of Tatia, may be able to release her from her coffin. Would you be willing to try?'

Elena felt in awe of everything that Elijah had said. Would it be so bad to help release Tatia if she could? "You loved her, didn't you," said Elena, recalling one conversation she had about Katherine with Elijah once.

"I still do," admitted Elijah softly, almost shyly. "But so did my brother Niklaus. He will not approve of what we will do here, tonight, Elena."

"Alright," Elena replied, deciding to see this through for Elijah. After her failing to tell him about his mothers linking spell until it was too late, Elena felt that she owed him this much at least. If she could reunite him with someone he obviously cared about, it was the least that she could do. "I'll help. What do I have to do?"

Elijah opened his car door as an example. "It's as easy as opening a door, I promise," The original told the doppelganger with a slight smile.

"Sure," Elena muttered dryly, opening hers. "That's what all the vampires say."

With a smirk, she met him at the front door to the original family home and followed him inside.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Inside the house, Elijah lead her to a door near the kitchen she had never noticed her last visit here. He stopped before opening the door, looking back at Elena with nervousness which was not apart of his character. "Elena, I must also warn you that some spells, when you try to break them, can have consequences. You, being a living doppelganger of Tatia, may experience some side affect by releasing her. Essentially two people meeting who are exactly alike would be like meeting ones self."

"I've met Katherine a few times now and I've been okay," Elena reminded him softly.

"But there is a serious difference between you both. Katerina is no longer a living human being, you are, however."

"So you're saying that Tatia will be human too, like me?" Elena never considered that Tatia could still be human after 1000 years being forced to exist in a magic prison.

"Tatia was always human, it's why my mother was able to use her blood to make us vampires," Elijah replied carefully. "But the spell has also made Tatia something more, something like yourself. You are human, Elena. But your very existence was due to a supernatural occurrence 1000 years before you were even born."

"So, are you saying..."

"Honestly, Elena, I am saying that I have no idea if this will be safe for you to take part in," Elijah admitted, wanting to be honest with her, despite what personal cost that choice may have. "Do you still want to help me with this, Elena?"

Her instincts were telling her to say no, to run away and never look back. Elijah may always show her kindness, even when she was undeserving, but he also brought other things too. Namely death. He was as dangerous as Damon would wish for her to believe, but something else seemed to be encouraging her forward. She wanted to do this for him, even if it ended badly. Elena really couldn't understand her reasons why, but she wanted to help Elijah with this. "I'll do it," She told him, slight hesitation only obvious now.

Elijah smiled at that and motioned for her to step inside the door. After a moments hesitation himself, Elijah followed her.

* * *

It was just a simple coffin, but a wave of panic began to rise up inside her chest. She had encountered her own mirror image before in Katherine, more than once, but this was different somehow. "Elijah..."

Her voice seemed to bring him back from whatever place inside his mind he had gone too and he looked to her. "What do I do?" Elena asked, trying to forget her fear about this.

"I want you to open the lid... that's it," Elijah assured her, sounding certain. Elena frowned at him, but then nodded. "Okay," She said, sealing her decision. She had to do this. It was for Elijah. He had tried to save her life, to help her, more than once. And just tonight he had wanted to make a deal that got Klaus out of her life for good. She owed him this.

Deciding that this was it, Elena went up to the coffin and with all her strength, she lifted up the lid after opening the heavy lock that trapped her ancestor inside. It opened as if there had been no lock at all and fell to her feet.

Elena gasped in surprise at the sight that awaited her from inside the coffin. It was like looking at one's twin. Elena had seen a doppelganger before in Katherine, the vampire that could pass easily for her twin, but Tatia was different somehow, despite having the same shared face as Katherine and herself did. Tatia shared the same face, but was strikingly different from Katherine and herself. Her hair was thick and fell in heavy waves of blonde and brown. Her face seemed set in a permanent sadness, however the Petrova was beautiful all the same. But this Petrova, unlike Katherine and herself, appeared to be asleep.

"Elijah, it opened, but she doesn't seem to be..." Elena then gave a shout as a hand suddenly gripped her wrist and darkness claimed her vision. The last sight Elena seen was the face of Tatia, looking back at her with grim violence gleaming back through familiar doe eyes.

* * *

"Tatia, what have you done?"

Elijah tried to move forward towards Elena but was forced to remain in place by sight unseen. Tatia seemed to just notice Elijah as she climbed free of the coffin, still holding Elena's wrist. Elena herself was unconscious.

"It is the only way that I can be here," replied Tatia with a slight pout. "This one and the other, they must go back in my place. They're not supposed to be here. The spell went wrong, Elijah."

"We're not supposed to be here either, _Tatia_," Elijah spoke in a commanding tone, trying to get the young witch novice to see reason. "We should have both died a 1000 years ago."

"So that is it then?" Tatia insisted, her voice showing her upset. "You use this... this shadow of me to wake me and now you want me to go back to the other place... the other side?" Tatia began to cry then, sounding like a broken girl. "I cannot do it... I cannot..." She then shouted with rage, hating that he would sacrifice her for another.

"Tatia, I want you here, with me... but you cannot send an innocent girl in your place..." Elijah spoke softly now, trying to reach the understanding girl that Tatia had once been.

"That Katerina is no innocent!" snapped the young witch novice. "I seen her, from the other side. You, _her_, Niklaus... she does not know the meaning of innocence..."

"Elena is different, Tatia..." replied Elijah, still refusing to give up on Tatia. "If you could see Katerina, then you know that Elena is different... "

"I will not, Elijah... " hissed Tatia in vicious jealousy. "I seen her... living the life that I should have lived... I hate her..." Tatia then made one movement with her hand and blood began to seep from Elena's ears and eyes.

"Tatia, please... don't do this..." shouted Elijah. But then it was too late, much too late. Elijah soon heard the sounds of bones snapping and Elena lay dying on the floor in a pool of her own blood.

"I need to do this, Elijah, or I will have to go back," Tatia exclaimed, hating the act she was doing, and hating the fact that she was hurting someone that Elijah cared about.

Tatia then turned back to Elena, ready to finish what she had started, but was soon startled by the door to the room opening with a bang. It was Stefan. "What the hell is this?" Stefan hissed at Elijah's direction. Not waiting for an answer, Stefan lunged at Tatia with a hiss, ready to kill her. The witch novice turned in the younger Salvatore's direction just in time and stopped him in his tracks with one motion of her hand.

"Your devotion is admirable," said Tatia softly, almost bitterly, to Stefan. "I used to be loved like that, wasn't I, Elijah?" Tatia then shot at Elijah with a scowl.

"Please, don't do this," pleaded Stefan. "She's dying, let me save her."

"You really care about her, don't you?" asked Tatia softly, intrigued by Stefan now.

Before Stefan could answer, strong hands gripped Tatia by her neck and tossed the witch novice across the room. Tatia's head struck the near by wall, knocking her out cold. Klaus stared at the body for a long moment and gasped in startled shock upon realizing who he had just attacked.

"I thought it to be Katerina..." He spoke softly, wistfully. He then paused and then turned his attention back to Elijah who could move now. "What have you done, Elijah? How could you set her free?" Klaus then cried in rage.

Stefan ignored the two furious originals and rushed to Elena's side. He fed her his blood until she woke up and whispered that he was going to take her home. He lifted her up, into his arms, ignoring Elijah and Klaus. Elijah watched them leave, guilt mirroring his face.

"How could you not let her die?" Elijah then countered with a hiss when they were alone. Elijah then moved to Tatia's side to help her, following Stefan's lead, ignoring Klaus.

Klaus had imprisoned the girl they had both loved for over a 1000 years because he had been unable to let her go. Elijah would never forgive Klaus for what he had done. Tatia was changed because of her imprisonment inside that coffin. And it was because of Niklaus.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Elena felt fine by the time Stefan had taken her home. Stefan told her that she should have never trusted Elijah. A part of her knew that, but there was the other part of her that told her that Elijah had no way to know that Tatia was going to react the way that she did to seeing her for the first time.

Tatia had decided that she should die, that her very existence was wrong. Elena felt chilled to the bone to realize that if Klaus had not decided to go home when he had she likely would have died tonight, and Stefan and Elijah as well.

Tatia had only been a witches student, if you could call it that even, but she was very powerful, and wanted her dead. Katherine too, if Elena had heard her right.

Elena, above all, couldn't help but feel sorry for Elijah. He seemed to only want to reunite with Tatia, to be with her again. He couldn't have guessed Tatia's furious reaction to meeting one of her doppelgangers. And being only a witch novice, Tatia had enough power to stop Elijah in his tracks, preventing him from trying to save her. Elena shuddered to think what Tatia might actually be like as a full witch. She believed that if that had been the case she would be dead now.

Now there was a witch novice, her ancestor, who wanted her dead. There was still also Alaric out there who was hell bent on taking out the originals, all of them. A feeling of dread filled her up to her core. Elena still also had no idea on how Klaus had gotten free of Bonnie's spell.

But if it hadn't happen, Stefan wouldn't have had the chance to get her out of there. After writing her thoughts down in her diary, Elena fell into a fitful slumber.

"How were you set free?" asked Elijah while Klaus looked at the food on the table in front of him. They had settled in for a meal of french foods, one of Klaus's favourite meals. It was a habit his brother indulged in, although they need not to eat solid food anymore. Elijah was happy to join him when given the chance too. He himself enjoyed the pleasure of this simple habit. He had greatly missed it.

"The spell of Tatia's entombment was linked to me by my blood. Your little doppelganger friend broke the spell's seal by setting Tatia free, and it broke the hold Bonnie Bennett's desiccation spell had on me. I had my blood used so that I would have been the only one capable of opening up the coffin. I had not counted on the spell going both ways."

"How do you mean?" pressed Elijah curiously, still stunned by these events.

"The spell also tied itself back to Tatia. But since she was the one trapped inside the coffin, she could not free herself, although given the ability too. Then comes along her doppelganger, one who is essentially her in some respect, but born again, popped her free of the coffin like it was nothing."

"But why did you do this to Tatia, Niklaus? You claimed to love her, yet you saw fit to sentence her to 1000 years, enclosed in a box. Did you really hate her feelings for me that much?" spat Elijah bitterly. He still could not understand how Niklaus could do anything to harm Tatia in such an inhuman way. They had grown up together in the same village, all of them. They all had been the best of friends once, before they had grown up. Then feelings had changed, changing their relationships forever. They both had fallen in love with Tatia Petrova. Both had been forbidden by their parents to pursue her in the beginning, so Tatia had ended up marrying another and had a child. Her husband had then gone to war and had never returned. It had left Tatia penniless and under constant strain to keep her child.

Both Klaus and himself begun relationships with her in secret, each promising to marry her. When one found out about the other, Tatia refused to choose between them. That decision had lasting consequences for all three of them.

"I had no choice but to have Arianna cast the spell on Tatia," shouted Klaus, angry that he had to confess this now. "It was to save her life, Elijah. It was my only intention. I did not tell you what I had done because I knew how impossible it was to set her free without trigering her transision. "

"What?" Elijah felt like he would be ill at what he had just heard. "But how, Niklaus... you and I, we never tried to turn her... we believed it too late..." Elijah then paused and stared at his brother in horror. "You tried to make Tatia a vampire, didn't you..." He then said accusingly.

Klaus nodded bitterly. "I was only trying to save her... I regretted it immediately. I thought to try and search for a cure for her... then I would wake her. I could not release her before... but because of your meddling, Elijah, Tatia will become a vampire... the spell has been broken, with it, her protection as well. She may have three days at the most..."

"But Niklaus... you seen her... what she is like now..." Elijah trailed off, horrified by what he was going to say, but it had to be said. "If she were to turn, her hate will be magnified... She wants to kill Elena, and will do so if she becomes what we are... there will be no stopping her."

"Elena will have to die, Elijah. You know this. Tatia said it herself. Katerina as well," said Klaus cooly. "It is the only way that she will survive and be able to remain here."

Elijah fell back into his chair, overwhelmed by this conversation. He had stopped caring about Katerina many years ago, but he did not take the decision to execute someone lightly. He had killed countless numbers over the years, but not when there was another choice to be made, and their life could be spared.

And Elena... the sweet young girl who had charmed him with her bravery and courage, reminding him so much of Tatia... he could not kill her simply so he could have his countless decades long wish... so Tatia could be in his life again... so he could correct the wrong that his family had comitted against her long ago. When he had started this, he had no idea that it would mean sacrificing Elena's life. He could not... no matter how much he longed to be with Tatia forever...

"I cannot allow that to happen, brother," Elijah finally said, dropping the fork in his hand. His decision was made. There had to be another way to save Tatia.

"I thought you would side with your new beloved brother," Klaus countered darkly. "Tatia believed that as well when I told her of your feelings for Elena. That is why I have sent her away from Mystic Falls."

"Why are you doing this Niklaus..." Elijah then asked, pain edged in his tone. Old pain, old heartbreak. Would he truly lose Tatia already?

"Because I can Elijah," beamed Klaus with a smile which was like a dagger to Elijah's heart.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

It had been a full day since she had last seen Elijah and helped him set Tatia free of her coffin. The last place she expected to find Elijah was sitting in the park in the middle of town by himself. He looked in deep thought and he looked so utterly lost. Elena frowned, her heart breaking for the vampire.

Stefan was at her side, encouraging her to keep up with him. They had decided to walk to school together since they had lost Alaric to Esther's cause. As he was now, Alaric had intended to kill her due to her relationships with vampires, but he had discovered the link between them, binding them together. If Alaric killed her, he would die too.

So far, Alaric had stayed away. But there was always the chance of that changing due to her connection to the originals. There was her odd friendship with Elijah, and Klaus had a lust for her blood to help raise his hybrids. Both originals had an interest in seeing her kept alive. It was only a matter of when would Alaric exploit it.

Her relationship with Stefan had yet to change back to how it once was, but there was a new warmth, a new closeness there between them. Elena wasn't certain what that meant yet. And there was Damon. Over the summer the elder Salvatore had managed to make her realize that despite how she loved Stefan, there was an attraction there between them and it was strong. It was something she never considered acting upon until Damon had made the first move. And her relationship with Stefan had continued to fall apart.

Should she be alone forever if Stefan decided to never get back together with her? And was it right that her choice be Damon to move on with? They were brothers, of course it wasn't right. Despite how Damon could make her feel, it would never be really right that they were together. It was what stopped her from going to Damon.

"Stefan, we can't just keep going..." Elena began guility, looking back at Elijah.

Stefan held up his hands in defeat. "I'll be somewhere, over there," said Stefan, pointing towards the Mystic Grill. Elena nodded, watching Stefan go. Even when he didn't agree with her, he always accepted her choices. She appreciated that greatly about her former boyfriend.

Elena walked up to Elijah from behind with hesitation. They had been friendly to each other, even in the worst of times, but they had never been close, if Elena wanted to be honest with herself. She felt like she was invading his privacy by approching him, but something was really wrong, and Elena couldn't let go of that. Not if she could help him.

"Elijah, are you alright?" Elena put a hand to his shoulder, bringing him out of his thoughts and he whispered _Tatia. _Immediately she felt bad again.

Perhaps he hadn't been able to correct the course his reunion with Tatia had started out on. "Elena," Elijah then said, correcting himself. "Forgive me. I believe I was out of time for awhile."

She sat beside him on the bench, frowning. The wind caught her hair. "How are things, Elijah? Is Tatia alright?"

Elijah swollowed hard, emotion fighting it's way forth through carefully guarded composure. "I believe that I have truly lost her, Elena. There were things that Niklaus kept from me about the past. Things that have ruined everything for her. Tatia hates me right now. Niklaus has managed to sway her against me. She will soon be a vampire, and she must do something to ensure that she will be able to stay on this side. Or she will eventually die from the injuries she sustained with my mothers spell."

"But if she becomes a vampire, won't that stop it?" countered Elena, not quite understanding.

"You would believe so. But no. The spell that was used to keep Tatia alive this long was to only keep her alive within her prison. Now that she had been freed, the spell's protection has been broken, and she is as she was a 1000 years ago. About to become... a vampire. But when one becomes a vampire, you must die first. There is the danger for Tatia. The other side, as one of my friends told me, plans to take her back. They believe she should die as she should have back then if my brother did not interfere."

"I'm so sorry, Elijah," began Elena helplessly. "I wish that there was something that I could do to help."

"No, I don't believe that you can, Elena," Elijah replied with a grim smile. "Please, go on to school. I will be in touch with you."

Elena nodded, smiling grimly as well. She hugged his arm with her hand before going to join Stefan across the street. Elijah watched her go while remembering the rest of the conversation he had with the witch he knew about Tatia.

* * *

"_Elijah, if Tatia does die, have you warned her human doppelganger that it could happen?" _

_Elijah stared uneasily back at the witch. "Why would I bother Elena with this, Esme?" _

"_Tatia was bound to the blood during your mothers spell to make you and your family vampires. The doppelgangers occured because Tatia did not fully die during the casting of the spell like she was supposed too. If she were to die now, the spell would correct itself and Elena would die. Katherine too." _

"_But what if we can save Tatia?" _

"_She will likely still become a vampire."_

"_But would that not save Elena? Katerina as well?" _

"_No," Esme answered simply. "It would not. The doppelgangers are bound to Tatia by their blood, Elijah. As they are doppelgangers it is like they are the same person, although they are not. What happens to one will happen to all three."_

"_But Katerina is a vampire... and Elena... no," Elijah whispered, not wanting to believe it. _

"_As Katherine is a vampire, the next step for her would be death if Tatia turns. And Elena..." _

"_She is human so she will become a vampire..." Elijah spoke, cutting Esme off. _

"_Exactly," Esme finished. "But you do know of the cure..." _

"_What cure?" Elijah insisted. Looking up in disbelief. _

* * *

Elijah looked up in disbelief. He could not believe that everything was coming down to this. He had returned to Mystic Falls with the sole intention of getting his brother out of here alive and to protect Elena from him. Even if it meant never seeing Elena again.

But then he'd come across Esme before returning to Mystic Falls and she told him the truth about what really had happened to Tatia. He'd been heart broken to learn what had befallen her and had vowed to correct the wrong of her imprisonment. He should have tried to consider all the possibilities before getting Elena to help him free Tatia.

Now not only Tatia was going to pay for his impatience, Elena was also going to pay for it with her life.

If he could not find a cure, soon, he would have to tell Elena what she was going to have to expect in return for trusting him again. The outcome of that conversation bothered Elijah much more greatly than he would like to admit.

He swore to himself once that he would not get attached again like he had with Katerina. He dared to care for someone that only put herself first. Elena was different, but she was not someone who was free to return any foolish feelings that he might have for her. There was Stefan who was obviously still someone that was in the picture for her, and then there was the other Salvatore brother who still had reason to hope that he might be the one that Elena chooses this time. They had grown closer in Stefan's absence, and Elena still had not given Damon reason to think he had no hope.

Caring too much for Elena Gilbert would be like accepting a sword to your heart with a smile to your face. No, he would not let himself get that involved in her life. He would do what he could for her and leave and never return. That was the best thing that he could do for Elena in the end.

Trying to enjoy the nice weather, Elijah walked home, thinking about what he would do next.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"_We were going to be..._" The soft voice broke off, whimpering again in pain and grief. Her love had found another. How could he? Tatia had been crying brokenly for hours, not being able to stop. Niklaus had also told her that she was ill and was about to become like he was.

Tatia remembered what Niklaus was, what he had become in their village. She had seen him the night he had changed. It was just before he had his witch lock her away. She would be a vampire, like him, and not like him. Niklaus had been born a werewolf, but had not discovered this until the night Esther and Mikael had changed their children into vampires.

Everything had changed after that night, and now it would change again, for her. Niklaus had promised to help her when she changed and teach her how to survive. He was also working to restore her health.

Right now, she felt fine, and thought it ridiculous that Niklaus thought she was sick. But he was also very kind and sweet to her, and after learning she had lost Elijah's affections, it was comforting to know that Niklaus had never wavered in his devotion to her.

Niklaus entered the bedroom he had directed her to inside his massive house. A look of concern fell upon his face when he noticed the bloody mess of men at the foot of her bed. Blood stained everything, now that she noticed. Her face, her clothes... Tatia began shaking in fright. "What did I do?" She cried aloud. "Niklaus, what did I do?" She begged of him, reaching for him. Niklaus took her into his arms and held her close.

"You have fed, my love," He told her sweetly. Klaus then let out a laugh and kissed the top of her head as she held to him for dear life. "That means that you are now finally mine. I will take care of you, Tatia. I promise you."

"Never let go of me, Niklaus," Tatia replied, fear overwhelming her. Klaus did as she requested. At dawn Tatia stood up to her feet on her own, a vampire.

"You are strong now," Niklaus promised. "And you will live forever. With me."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"Have you seen Bonnie?" Elena asked while walking up to Stefan inside the hallway of Mystic Falls High during lunch hour.

Stefan frowned. "No, why?"

"I don't think she came to school today," Elena muttered softly with concern. "And she isn't answering her phone. I haven't been able to reach her for a couple of days."

Stefan shot her a look in return but remained quiet.

"What?" Elena insisted.

"Elijah just blows into town and Bonnie vanishes..."

"What are you saying Stefan?" Elena demanded, feeling offended on behalf of Elijah.

"I'm not saying Elijah is behind it directly, but his whole family has proven, more than once, that they will do anything to get what they want. Even use people you care about, even yourself," Stefan replied honestly.

Elena frowned, hating to say what she was thinking next for fear that Stefan wouldn't approve. "I'll go and see Elijah after school..."

"He may have nothing to do with it..." offered Stefan, irritated that Elena still apparently trusted the original, but feeling bad for considering Elijah at fault when it was obvious that the original vampire meant something to Elena. "Why don't we go to Bonnie's house first before you go into a house filled with original vampires?" offered Stefan instead after a few moments, sighing, upset at himself for getting involved with this considering how dangerous that entire family was to Elena.

Elena beamed at him and Stefan felt himself melt instantly. It had been too long since she looked at him like that. "I knew I could count on you, Stefan," she exclaimed before kissing his cheek and then heading for the exit with Stefan not far behind her.

* * *

The house had no one inside of it. Stefan knew it the moment they arrived on the property. The young witch was not at home. When they got closer to the house, they could see the front door was open slightly.

"Bonnie?" called out Elena, casting Stefan a worried look. Stefan grabbed her arm, keeping her from going inside. "Let me go first," Stefan said. Elena agreed, happy that Stefan was still going along with this.

Stefan entered the house and Elena heard the vampire gasp in surprise. Elena then hurried inside behind him. "What is it?"

Elena could then see. Chairs were knocked over inside the living room and there was blood stains on the floor, but no sign of her friend, anywhere.

Elena then recalled what Elijah had said about Tatia. A witch was used in casting the spell to hold her inside her coffin for 1000 years. What if Klaus had needed a witch to ensure that Tatia did not die like the _other side_ wanted, and that she would indeed become a vampire?

Elena frowned sadly. It seemed her biological family was destined to become a vampire. First Katherine, who voluntarily became a vampire instead of turning herself over to die, then she had met her biological mother who gave up her life with Alaric to turn, and then there was Tatia... who never really died, frozen in time instead of turning, who was now going to face her destiny 1000 years later. Then it left herself. She was the last surviving member of the Petrova line. Would she meet the same fates as Katherine and Tatia? Isobel? It really seemed like she was destined to become a vampire. If she wanted to or not seemed not to matter anymore.

"We'll find her," promised Stefan, sensing her sadness. He kissed her cheek. But the feeling of dread would not leave her.

* * *

Elijah entered his brothers home, warily so. He had spent the day trying to decide what the next best course of action that he could take in finding and helping Tatia, and saving Elena as well. His indecisiveness had lead him here, although no one else had been home when he had last left here.

Klaus had taken away Tatia to parts unknown, his other siblings gone as well. He was never more surprised when he entered the home, realizing immediately he was no longer the only vampire here. He shut the front door and hissed when he felt an unfamiliar presence behind himself. He reached out for the intruders neck and gasped in fright at what he saw looking back at him with blind fear.

Those familiar doe eyes, which he had loved so much, now stared back at him, filled with blood. Frightened, terrified of him. It was not Katerina, for her presence was forever burned into his mistakes of the past. It was Tatia, he realized. Those thick brown curls, so familiar, even at the hour of her death. Elijah felt his heart shatter at the realization that he not only failed her, but he had failed Elena as well.

Poor human Elena would no longer be human quite soon. And Katerina... he grieved for the girl that he had felt so strongly for once, the human Katerina who wanted him to believe in love. That girl, over 500 years long dead, had the monster who claimed her from him finally give her the freedom of death. The vampire, had won, over Katerina in the end.

And Elena... dear, sweet Elena... Elijah choked on the pain he felt about what his actions have done to her. He had to tell her. There was no running from it now.

"Elijah, please," Tatia stood there, begging him. "Niklaus has cast a curse upon me... please help me..." The original Petrova begged tearfully.

Elijah felt himself break inside at her plea and pulled her into his arms. "I will always be here for you, Tatia," He then whispered into her hair.

It was then that a dagger pierced Elijah's heart from behind and he felt no more.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"Elena, are you sure you want to do this?" asked Stefan for the third time, following Elena up to the majestic entrance of the Originals home. Elena turned around, her thick hair hiding behind her blue coloured jacket.

"If you don't want to come in, you can wait out here," Elena replied firmly. "Besides, Elijah may know something, he might not too."

Stefan sighed and stepped off the stairs and moved for his bike they rode here on. He leaned against it, frowning at her. "I have no desire to see even Elijah, so late in the day. I'll be right here, Elena."

Elena scowled unhappily, but she was also secretly pleased that Stefan was still going along with this, despite him not agreeing with her. Damon wouldn't even have let her get this far.

Elena, decided, rang the door bell and the front door opened by itself. She hesitated briefly before going inside. No one seemed to be around upon her entering and she moved to call for Stefan before a hand grasped her mouth shut tightly. Elena turned to see who held her and she stared up in surprise. Klaus held her tightly and wasn't letting her go. "We've got plans for you, love. I am afraid you will not be returning to your _beloved_ Stefan today." Klaus then snatched her up into his arms and they were gone before Elena could react.

* * *

"Elena..." called Stefan after several minutes of hearing nothing from coming inside of the house. He followed his former girlfriend inside of the mansion with hesitance. It was always Elena that seemed to be incapable of not trusting Elijah, he himself never had trusted him since he let Elena and Jenna die at the hand of his brother and then saved Klaus when given the chance to get rid of his brother forever.

Stefan would never understand the relationship Elena had with the original and never would. He could smell Elena near by, but her presence was gone. Stefan started more into the house, finding himself inside the living room with a dead original at his feet, and Elena long gone. _Elijah_. Daggered at the hand of Klaus, again. When would he ever learn.

Stefan, having no choice, pulled the dagger out and waited for Elijah to wake up so he could tell him where Elena was.

* * *

"What are you doing with me?" insisted Elena after Klaus unceremoniously dumped her inside a strange room that housed some very old furniture pieces, from a thick wooden bed, to old wooden dressers and mirrors. The room had no windows though.

"Not to worry, Elena. I haven't taken you from Mystic Falls. We are at a place in the country. It belonged to my family long ago. In the past one hundred years, however, time has not been kind to this house. You should have seen it in it's glory days."

"Where are we?" Elena scowled, annoyance getting the better of her.

"Your _beloved_ Stefan and Damon are familiar with this place. Can't you just picture two little Salvatore boys running around at your feet, Elena?" teased Klaus. "Their fool of a father believed the house to be deserted when he moved in here with his family."

Elena felt her entire face fall, feeling sick. She did not want to think of how long Klaus likely had been watching Stefan before taking him under his wing. Had him taking Stefan the first time been a repayment of sorts for his father taking claim of the Mikaelson house? "You knew them, even then..." Elena trailed off softly.

"Of course... I let them retain the property, my family had no fancy to return here then," Klaus continued. He stopped and looked at Elena. "You seemed surprised..." Klaus then continued speaking. "The house itself, however, died along with him and his boys. His wife at the time lost the land due to no money coming in. The rest of the Salvatore holdings had been taken by the town hall. It wasn't until her son was grown up did he come into owning the boarding house which he had to buy back with his family mill business."

Elena was lost for words at hearing this piece of history that Stefan and Damon had never shared with her. The half brother they never talked about, the one Salvatore, born from a different marriage, got to remain human, grow up and have a life where Stefan and Damon didn't. Zachary Salvatore would have been descendant from that brother, the only human family member of the Salvatore's that Elena had met, and ever would meet.

"I've been here before," Elena said after a long silence, still not quite understanding. "The original Salvatore house was in ruins..."

"Do you really think that my family would own a house in the 1800s in Mystic Falls and not have a place where we could hide from the population if needed? We are underneath the house, Elena, in one of the cellars."

Elena looked around, a little taken aback at the beauty of the room. The Mikaelson family then apparently had very lavish ideas at what a cellar is supposed to look like. "Why have you brought me here Klaus?" Elena then asked, tired of the trip down memory lane.

"I need your help Elena," He confessed, surprising her. "You see, the woman that I love is going to die, despite becoming a vampire. Since Tatia has a living doppelganger, _you_, it does not give her a firm grip hold onto this world. Katerina had the good fortune to expire upon Tatia's turning , however, _you_ remain alive. "

Elena swallowed hard, fighting back a growing fear. "You're going to kill me..."

"Not unless I have to, love," Klaus replied honestly, making tears sting Elena's eyes. "You see, my witch has a theory, what affects Tatia, will affect both of her doppelgangers. Katerina's death proved that to an extent. As she was already a vampire when Tatia turned..."

"She died..." replied Elena for him, realizing what he was getting at. She never cared for Katherine, especially after learning how she treated Stefan and Damon, but something inside Elena was upset at hearing yet another member of her family was dead.

And since Tatia was a vampire now and she wasn't... it was only a matter of time until she turned into one too, or Klaus would kill her to save Tatia.

"Now, lets sit back and wait Elena, and see if those pretty doe eyes of yours are about to fill up with blood lust..."

"How long..." started Elena when Klaus sat down across from her.

"You should turn by dawn," Klaus replied with a smile. "Not to worry," He then went on seriously. "I will ensure that you get everything that you need to complete your transition." said Klaus, leaning in close to her now. "And your becoming a vampire though will make things problematic with that hunter we still have on the lose. But, we will deal with him."

"Alaric will become a vampire..." Elena trailed off, realizing what he was getting at. And with a vampire's skill to continue to hunt the originals, and Stefan and Damon...

"Yes," Klaus agreed. "Finally, Elena, you are now up to speed. How does it feel to know that your guardian is going to kill your paramours?"

"Stefan is here..." She started, not wanting to hear it. She couldn't lose Stefan and Damon too.

"But where did you think Damon has disappeared too, hmm?" Klaus pressed, amused by Elena. "He went to go find that terrible oak stake that will kill my family... if Alaric doesn't kill him first, that is..."

Elena blinked, stunned. No, she hadn't noticed. She had been too busy being concerned with helping Elijah. And spending time with Stefan, if she wanted to be honest with herself.

"I'll let you stew on that one for awhile," smirked Klaus. Elena fought back tears, trying to hold it together. It was all too much. It was just too much. She finally broke down, crying in front of Klaus and she hated herself for it.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

He was here because he hoped to have a chance with the girl his brother loved, if Damon Salvatore wanted to be perfectly honest with himself. He also hoped to save his best friend from certain death by getting that oak stake first.

If he managed to kill Klaus, it would be an added bonus. Plus removing Elijah from Elena's life would be an even better bonus. The original had too much of an interest in Elena's life and Elena really didn't seem to mind having him around either. Elijah had made no move on Elena, but Damon had seen that style before. Elijah was not upfront with expressing his emotions. He was much more subtle in getting what he wanted and the original wanted the one girl that Damon had wanted for a very long time.

Damon opened up the storage unit that once housed Klaus and stepped inside. Back in the far corner was the prize he desired, laying on the floor for anyone to grab. The oak stake.

Using vampire speed, Damon Salvatore snatched it up with a smile to his face. If they could get rid of Klaus, everything would be alright. Elena would no longer be in danger and maybe... maybe she might choose to be with him.

Damon turned around to leave and he frowned sadly, his hopes dying in an instant. Alaric had found him.

"Hey Rick," Damon said, using sarcasm. "Finally found me, did yeah?"

"Thanks for the stake," said Rick in reply, before charging at Damon for the oak stake.

Before Rick could grab the stake, he buckled over at Damon's feet, crying out in pain. "Rick?" called out Damon, going to the floor of the unit with his friend. "What the hell is it? What's wrong?"

Before Alaric Saltzman could reply, he stopped moving and knew no more.

"Rick!" shouted Damon, confused, upset and suddenly very terrified upon remembering that Alaric and Elena were linked, their lives bonded together thanks to Esther's spell. If Rick was dead, that meant that Elena was... no. "No, you can't be dead," shouted Damon aloud, grief stricken.

"It won't be long now, sweetheart," replied Klaus, soothingly so. He gently patted back the thick dark hair from the pale face of Elena Gilbert. "Give in," Klaus urged her.

"I'm dying," Elena said aloud, trying to use rational to mask her growing fear.

"Yes," said Klaus. "Then you will return, I promise you, Elena. Give in, you will not feel it."

_"Elena... where are you?" _

Elena gasped at the sound of that voice. Tears filled her eyes at the prospect that was waiting for her. She could feel it. "I hear her..."

"Who?" asked Klaus, truly interested.

"Mom," said Elena, her eyes fluttering. "I see my mom... she's so beautiful..." Those were the last words that Elena Gilbert ever spoke while alive.

Tatia Petrova came forward, looking down at Elena Gilbert at the moment of her death. "So it is done... you think that I will remain here..." asked Tatia to Klaus.

"The blood will seal it," replied Klaus, reaching to close the eyes of the dead girl on the bed before them. "First, Elena must wake up again before she can feed. Then," continued Klaus, getting up to his feet and turning to Tatia to take her hand. "It will be done and you will be protected, my love."

"Then I will live... forever, with you," promised the witch novice.

"It will be me, Tatia, or no one." stated Klaus coldly. "Elijah is no longer a choice for you, remember?" He then reminded her quickly, enjoying the look of pain upon her face.

"He loves her... I know it..." Tatia declared brokenly.

"Elijah always wanted what he could never have," said Klaus in reply, pulling Tatia in for a kiss. "I have never wavered in my love for you, Tatia. That should tell you which is the right brother for you."

"Does she love Elijah, I wonder," said Tatia, still lost in the possibility that perhaps Elijah was not lost to her yet.

"Two others hold her favour," replied Klaus. "But you know that Elijah never stops until he gets what he wants, Tatia."

Tatia blinked away a painful memory. "I know it..." replied the Petrova bitterly. She stared into the dead girls face for a moment before kissing Klaus again, wondering what her doppelganger had that she didn't in hopes to understand how she lost Elijah's love.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"He took Elena..." Elijah said as soon as he was able to speak. "Tatia tricked me... she is working with Niklaus..."

Stefan helped the original to a near by sofa so he could sit as he recovered his breath. "Do you know where they could be now, why he would take Elena..."

Elijah looked away, pained by all what he knew. Tatia's betrayal had stung, but it was knowing what she was planning to do that confirmed the worst about her for him. She was going to either let his brother kill Elena, or they were going to help Elena become a vampire. A change that likely was already underway considering that Tatia had completed her transition. If Elena turned, she would have died, sealing Tatia`s ability to remain on this side.

"Stefan..." Elijah started, finding the will to speak after a long silence. "My brother would have taken Elena, for one of two reasons. He will either kill her, sealing Tatia's ability to remain alive on this side. Or Elena will die, becoming a vampire, not by blood but by the dark magic that was used to seal Tatia in her coffin for 1000 years, binding the transition to vampire for her. In a way, it will be alike to the process that made my family and I vampires."

"Elena will be an original..." Stefan trailed off, frustrated, trying to understand.

"Somewhat... but she will be tied to the blood line that turned Tatia, which will be Klaus's..."

"He'll be her sire..."

Elijah blinked as if realizing something important. Was it possible that Klaus was controling Tatia due to a sire bond? It in itself was rare, but he had seen it, experienced it, more than once. And if Tatia was affected by a sire bond, would that mean Klaus would have the same control over Elena as well? It was what Stefan was afraid of, that the original that had spent the last few months chasing Elena for her blood might have that kind of influence over her...it was a dangerous thought. But he would help Elena where he had failed with Tatia.

"Lets hope it doesn't come to that," said Elijah softly.

Elijah stood up, feeling better. "Lets go," He said.

"Where?"

"Your home, Mister Salvatore."

* * *

Elena felt the blood to her lips. It was wonderful, so sweet. Someone was urging her to drink. She thought it to be Klaus, but then something told her this wasn't him. He was gone. This was someone different.

The blood was soon gone, but she was still so hungry. Her eyes blinded her to a deep red color. It was all she could see. Red. And she was so hungry. "I want more," She confessed to the one that dared to sit so close. Elena could sense this persons blood from her position on the bed, without even touching or tasting him, and it was powerful, and she wanted it. She moved for him, her teeth barred when he turned away, and someone shouted her name as she dove home, deep inside her prays skin. She moaned at the taste, using her new strength to hold her victim in place. She wanted to bury herself deep within her victim and stay there forever. It was glorius.

The victim quickly showed her that she was not the stronger of the two of them and she let out a hiss as strong hands grabbed her neck, forcing her away from him. Elena faught to overpower him, but he was too strong. "Elena! Stop!" He commanded and the familiar voice startled her back into control of herself.

The red went away and Elena could see the faces of Elijah and Stefan staring back at her in surprise. Blood stained Elijah's shirt and Elena could only stare back at him in horror upon realizing who's blood she had been fighting to so strongly taste again. His blood also stained her face and her hands. She could feel it on her skin. She flushed when she still felt the urge to go for his blood again. Her eyes changed again, she felt it and the pull for Elijah's blood. It was then Stefan quickly got up and shot out of the room, startling her again into her self and tears filled her eyes upon realizing she had somehow greatly upset Stefan.

Did he hate her for being a vampire? Elijah began to tell her that everything was okay and he carefully took a face cloth to her flushed face. But she couldn't stop shaking as the tears consumed her.

After many more tears, Elena had finally gained full control over herself. Between Elijah`s soothing words and urges to have some blood he heated especially for her inside the Gilbert house kitchen, Elena had finally calmed down. Stefan was still gone though, letting Elijah take her home and saying nothing to her. The rejection hurt bitterly.

Just when she believed they`d been getting closer, Stefan pulls away when she needs him, so much.

And Damon, he`d fled to play her hero, and Elena feared that nothing was going to be gained from it. Alaric had remained in hiding and Damon was going after a hunter that knew how to kill a vampire if he so choose.

But, she had to wonder, since she died, did Alaric die too? Had Damon found the stake? Was he on his way back?

So many questions and now she was a vampire, not turned but made by magic from Klaus's blood...

"Since I'm... different, will I live?"

The question made Elijah stop what he was doing, putting blood bags into a cooler on the table by her bedroom window. "What do you mean?" He asked softly, stopping what he was doing and crossing the room to her.

"I wasn't made like... a vampire is usually made," Elena stated, being unable to mask her fear. "Will I... be okay, Elijah?"

"I had no sire, _Elena_," He reminded her. "Yet I have lived for a very long time. You were made because of a spell, but that spell used the blood of Klaus's line to create you. His blood also made Tatia a vampire. You will get through this, Elena."

He moved near her, using vampire speed and reaching out to touch her hand in effort to comfort her. It was a small gesture, but one that was most welcome. Elena felt as if she was drowning and there was no one that could save her.

"Thank you, Elijah," She told him. "I don't think that I could do any of this without your help."

She held his hand in return and they remained like that for a moment before letting each other go. Briefly, Elijah remembered the last time he had such a simple moment with someone. One that he never wanted to end. It had been far too long. It was then he decided he would remain in Mystic Falls until he knew that Elena would be alright on her own.

"You'll make it through this, Elena."

She seemed encouraged by his faith in her. He felt himself warmed by the fact that something so simple seemed to matter so much to the new vampire.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

The next day Elena woke up sensing she was alone in the house. Jeremy had been distant from her, ever since Elijah and Stefan had brought her home from the remains of the old Salvatore house. They never really talked at all, ever since Alaric had fell victim to the curse that his ring brought, and Esther.

Elena passed his bedroom and decided to go inside. She gasped in surprise upon seeing that all of her brothers things were gone. She rushed down stairs searching for answers, for anything to tell her why that her brother was gone. Elena was startled upon seeing that Bonnie sat inside her living room, tears in her eyes. She stood up, handing Elena a folded piece of paper. "He wanted to say goodbye, Elena. He really did. But it was just too much. Jeremy went to stay with your great aunt in Georgia for awhile, until things calm down..."

"What do you mean? He just left without saying anything..." Elena snapped, tears falling down her face. "That's not Jer... he wouldn't just leave me..."

"_Elena..." _

Elena turned furiously, surprised again to see that Stefan was here. Elijah stepped into the living room as well. "What's going on?" Elena insisted to Stefan.

"Damon has returned..." started Elijah when Stefan hesitated to say anything, but Stefan replied after a long silence.

"Elena... Alaric _died_ when you became a vampire... " Stefan said, deciding honesty was the best approach. "And he became a _vampire_ too... Damon managed to get the white oak stake from him and get back... _but_..."

Elena felt shaken by the fact that Alaric had also been affected by this mess that she was in and relived that Damon made it through his crazy mission to get the stake, but she felt a crushing weight knowing that they had all lost someone else that was important to them. Alaric, hateful as he was due to that stupid ring, would be ten times worse as a vampire and all the more deadly. The Alaric that they knew, who they cared about, would be gone.

Jeremy had lost another parental figure because of her and it was just too much. "But what, Stefan?" Elena wanted to scream by this point. She never felt a stronger need to see her brother than she did right then, and she couldn't, because Jeremy had left.

"Alaric has threatened to kill Jeremy and yourself... he thinks you betrayed your... parents," Stefan admitted uneasily.

Elena swallowed back tears. "But I don't understand why..."

"Jeremy found it to be too much... he blames Damon for whats happened to Alaric, and me for whats happened to you. He had to get away..."

The tears spilled down her face then. Elena couldn't begrudge Jeremy for choosing to flee Mystic Falls. If anything she longed to go with him. They would never have a normal life here. It had been wrong of her to bring him back from Denver. It was because of her inability to stay away from vampires that had brought all of this down upon her brother and herself. And it was because of their inability to stay away from her. Jeremy was better off to stay away from her.

"I have to go..." Elena stuttered, feeling Elijah and Stefan watching her. She hurried out of the house, stopping outside upon seeing Damon standing there by the sidewalk. She hadn't expected to see him here after hearing what had happened to Alaric. It felt so good seeing him again. He'd been gone nearly a month and it was then Elena realized how much she had missed Damon.

He was always there for her, even in the worst of times. His eyes showed his pain on full display. He looked relived to see her. "When he died... I thought..." Damon broke off, tears filled his eyes and Elena felt her heart break knowing that Damon had felt pain because of her, how he felt about her, for even a moment.

"I'm here," Elena broke in, breaking the intensity of the moment. She knew that Damon was in love with her and had been for awhile, but she also felt something for him, something she wasn't certain that she could voice yet. There was Stefan, and how they'd been getting closer, and then there was... _Elijah_. He had been there for her so far, when she felt that she couldn't go on, he had risen her up. No one had ever done something like that for her before. Risen her up, when she felt she belonged in a grave.

There had been Stefan, and he had helped her through so much, and they had managed to fall in love despite so many circumstances... And there was Damon, here and now, and he felt something for her that was so meaningful to him that he risked everything to try and get that stake so they could have something over Klaus. To help protect her. It had all been for her.

Was she falling in love with Damon? Part of her longed for it, to have that feeling again. And this Damon, the one that would do anything for her, Elena knew that maybe she could fall in love.

Damon crushed her into a tight hug and she allowed the contact. It felt good to be held like this. It felt good to be held by Damon. Damon soon released her and cupped her face, still in disbelief that she was here, and she was okay.

But then she quickly remembered as his face fell. She wasn't okay. She never would be, either. Because technically she was dead. A vampire, not by choice, but by fate. "You're a _vampire_..." Damon whispered, his voice breaking, devastated for her.

Elena felt herself crying then. "Yeah..." She declared simply in agreement. "I am."

"Who did it to you?" Damon insisted, the anger showing in his eyes.

"Nobody..." Elena replied after taking a breath, confusing Damon. "It was a spell... I'm linked to the first Petrova... Katherine was too. I helped Elijah free Tatia from her coffin and it reactivated her transition. She became a vampire... and so I did too because I'm her doppelganger..."

"Why the hell would he have you do that, Elena?" Damon then demanded, breaking away from her. He never did like the friendship she had with Elijah. He never could understand it.

"I wanted too Damon," Elena then insisted, reaching out to him and turning him around to face her. "he's my friend and I wanted to help him... He had no way to know this was going to happen..."

Damon sighed, giving up. He knew it was no use to try and talk Elena out of believing in the original. She always stood by those she cared about and Elijah was included. "I know..." He sighed again. "I get it... ever the hero... has to believe the good in everybody..."

Elena smiled, happy that he would try and understand that Elijah mattered to her. "I'm okay, Damon... or, I'm going to be..."

Damon paused for a moment, wanting to ask her something, and she knew what it was instantly. Had she made her choice?

"Damon..." She started before he said anything and he backed away, getting it. He always understood her.

"It's always going to be Stefan..." He said, sadly so, breaking her heart.

"Damon, I don't know if I'm going to get back together with Stefan or not," she started quickly. "But I can't say that I want to be with you when I don't know where things are going with Stefan... I can't be with you when I still..."

"Want my brother..." He finished for her.

"It wouldn't be fair to you Damon... I think part of me fell for you, in a really big way... but I still never stopped wanting to be with Stefan... I still love him Damon."

Damon nodded, backing away from her even more as if she burned him. "I love you, Damon. But I.."

"Save it..." He then spat, his own heart breaking. "I can't take the kind of love you're offering Elena... I've been there before, I can't do it again... Katherine was bad enough..."

He then left her there and Elena felt as if she had just lost something very important to her. But she had to let him go... she just had too. Damon deserved someone that could return his feelings.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

After the bittersweet goodbye with Damon, she returned inside the house and was happy to see that Elijah had gone to bed. It was going to give her the chance to speak with Stefan alone. It was time that they addressed where things were or weren't going in their relationship. Did they have a chance together? Was it worth trying again?

"Stefan... can we..."

Stefan looked to the floor, getting the sense of what she was going to say. He looked upset, frustrated. "Elena... I know what happened with Damon..."

Elena swallowed hard. Did he think she was choosing him out of some sense of responsibility to their prior relationship? And that she really wanted to be with Damon and not him? "You heard... well, then, it doesn't change anything. I know that I want to be with you, Stefan..."

He met her gaze then and Elena knew that there was something more that was bothering Stefan. Something that went beyond her feelings for Damon. She just didn't know what it was.

"Elena... you fed on another vampire..." Stefan started with great difficulty.

Elena blinked, stunned at the direction that things were going after her admitting that she had picked him. "What... what are you talking about, Stefan... I never have fed on Damon..."

"When you turned, you_ bit _Elijah. You fed_ from him..."_

Elena was still stunned, not understanding where Stefan was taking this. "I did... but I couldn't control it... I smelled his blood..." Elena began, trying to make Stefan understand that she really had no choice but to follow her urge to feed. It had taken over every part of her.

"When a vampire feeds from another... it's a very personal act of intimacy... "

Tears filled her eyes upon finally understanding where Stefan was taking this. He was blaming her over something she had no control over...

"Stefan..." Elena stammered brokenly. "I had no way of knowing that it... meant something more... I'm sorry. Elijah is my friend... nothing more then that..."

"I have to go." Stefan then said, not looking at her. Stefan then exited the house, leaving a crushed Elena in his wake. She felt her entire body quake as the tears consumed her. Elena sank to the floor of the living room, letting the reality sink in that she may have lost any chance with Stefan because of something that was out of her control.

Hours seemed to pass with Elena remaining in place on the floor. She gasped when she felt strong arms lift her up to her feet, bracing her with his own body so she wouldn't fall. "Elena, it's going to be alright," Elijah whispered soothingly into her hair that was everywhere about her shoulders. He then took her face into his hands and compelled her when he said it again. She blinked, grateful despite realizing he had just compelled her. It was all just too much and she wanted to forget it all.

Elijah then helped her upstairs to her bedroom in silence. Elena held on to him for dear life, taking his support gratefully.

* * *

"What's with you?" spat Damon, rather angrily, upon the sight of his brother entering their house later that night. Stefan stopped and looked towards his brother who was coming down the staircase that lead to his bedroom inside their family home.

"Damon, I am in no mood to deal with you tonight," said Stefan, meeting his anger with his own.

"What is it, Stefan?" insisted Damon, tossing a drink at the near by wall. "Getting the girl wasn't enough for you...couldn't take it that she had feelings for me, could you?"

"Damon..."

"You know, if she had picked me, I wouldn't care if she still loved you, because I would make her forget all about you..."

"Damon, she fed from someone else..."

"What?" Damon was taken aback at the direction the conversation was going. "What are you talking about... vampires occasionally eat the odd human... so what...even sometimes you can't help but give in, you know that, Stefan... Don't tell me you got all holier then thou with Elena over something so stupid... She's new, Stefan...eventually she'll learn control..."

"It wasn't a human..." Stefan admitted rather reluctantly, not being able to help himself. "It wasn't a human that Elena fed from... it was when after she turned... she bit him..."

"Bit _who_, Stefan?" demanded Damon, still not believing that Stefan wasn't being too judgmental with Elena.

"It was... it was Elijah... Elena didn't know it, but she marked him... she drank from him and didn't want to stop..."

Damon blinked, not believing what he was hearing. "So Elena got a little carried away, so what, Stefan... it's not like it that she would have known what she was doing with him. Vampires bite each other all the time..."

"But then sex follows," snapped Stefan.

"You seriously think that Elena is sleeping around with _Elijah_..." Damon was appalled. "Now if we were talking about Katherine, I could believe you... may the evil bitch _rest in peace_..." Damon finished with sarcasm.

"You know it's only a matter of when... a vampire feeding from a vampire is one thing, Damon, but Elijah is an original...she'll crave his blood now that she's had some..."

"Just because he's an original, doesn't mean that Elena won't be able to control herself..."

"I've seen it before... when I was with Klaus and Rebekah in the 1920s... Elena will soon do anything to get more of his blood..."

"So you're telling me, that you dumped Elena because you think that she_ might cheat on you_?" shouted Damon, not being able to stop himself.

"She already had felt something for him before she became a vampire... becoming a vampire and now taking his blood, will only magnify her attraction for him..."

"If she felt anything for Elijah, Stefan, it was pity... he worked his old world mumbo jumbo charm on her, nothing more. You're being an idiot, Stefan..."

"I'm going to bed..." said Stefan, his voice thick with emotion. He really believed that Elena was already lost to him.

"I wouldn't have let her go, Stefan..." shouted Damon after him, but Stefan gave no sign that he heard him.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

"Am I crazy for caring so much about him?"

Elijah looked up from his book that he was reading, setting the very old copy of _Withering Heights_ that Elena had kept on top of the book shelf inside the living room of the Gilbert house, carefully housed by itself beside an empty vase. Elena's words had come at almost a snap, which was out of character for her.

"_Stefan_..." Elijah said carefully, seeing by the look on Elena's face that he had guessed right.

"Relationships can run their course..." He then offered kindly. "Perhaps Stefan just needs time..."

"And Damon..." started Elena, seemingly not hearing him. Tears filled the new vampires eyes and Elijah could clearly see that things were over between Elena and the Salvatore brothers. And it would seem that the decision bothered her deeply. "I..." Elena stopped, catching her breath. "I really cared for him... I think you could call it love, but not with Stefan still involved..."

"Elena...what can I do?" Elijah pressed, hating to see the young vampire in so much pain.

"Make it stop, Elijah..." She said, immediately surprising him. Tears filled her eyes, leaving nothing of the qualities that had made up the girl he met nearly two years ago. That girl was now broken, robbed of her humanity and who had now lost her loves with her indecision.

"Elena... you don't realize what you are asking..."

"No, not that... " She hissed, angry. Elena then moved to in front of him, using vampire speed. "Make me forget that I ever loved them... if I can't be with them... then I don't want to remember..."

Elijah reached out, cupping her face, the problem of Tatia and Klaus forgotten for the moment. "Are you sure... if I do this, it is almost impossible to restore any memory of feelings that you still carry for them..."

"I want this...please, Elijah...please..."

"Forget then, Elena... _forget_..." He spoke, compelling her.

Elena blinked, letting the pain go with a smile to her face. She opened her eyes, staring at Elijah as if seeing him for the first time. She wrapped her arms suddenly around his neck and pulled him into a passion filled kiss.

Elijah was the first to break away, stunned at her behaviour. Perhaps the compulsion had worked. He hadn't believed it would. Elena grabbed at him again, ripping his dress shirt, demanding that he return the kiss. Soon, she shoved him into a near by chair and went down, joining him by sitting on his lap, her chest facing his. Still insistent, things progressed quickly and Elijah regretted not pushing her off of him from the start. She finished quickly, riding him between more insistent kisses and he shoved her rather violently away from him, hating himself for giving into her request to forget her feelings for the Salvatore's.

He turned to the window, adjusting his clothing, fearing he had done the worst thing possible to Elena. He had done more than remove her feelings for the Salvatore brothers, he had removed everything that had made Elena, Elena. She had switched off her feelings, choosing to go a step further, perhaps. Elijah finally worked up the nerve to face her and she was already gone from the house.

What had he done?

* * *

"I want to leave Mystic Falls... will you help me?"

Klaus got up from the chair inside the living room of the Mikaelson mansion, smiling. "What, my big brother won't save you from yourself, Elena?" He quipped, enjoying the void of feeling upon the lovely Gilbert girl's face.

"You'll help me...won't you..."

Klaus smiled again, laughing softly. "Oh, I would love to see the look upon my brothers face when he realizes that he's not only lost one, but two Petrova's to me..." Klaus then considered her seriously. "Of course, Elena. I will help you."

He then kissed the top of her head and Elena looked relived that he had agreed to her request. Perhaps it would be better this way. She had never felt so self destructive in her life and she just wanted to keep giving into the feeling. It helped her forget that she cared too much. It helped her forget the disastrous mess she had just made of her relationship with Elijah.

Sex hadn't been on her mind when she had sought him out, but it felt right to give into what wasn't the right thing to do. Even if it had been the worst choice, risking a friendship that had meant the world to her. "Thank you," Elena told Klaus truthfully.

"You are most welcome, Elena... "

Klaus then left her standing alone inside the room. After a long time, tears filled her eyes and Elena touched her face, feeling the wetness, wondering why she was crying.

**THE END**

Kind of a dark ending, but I felt it was best to end at this point in the story, leaving a good opening for a continuation at some point. My idea is that Elena simply switched off her feelings, having enough of the new changes in her life that were out of her control. I hope to continue this at some point. Perhaps within a few months at the most. Thanks to all that have read this. Sarah.


End file.
